As a CSA member, you now have a GrownBy member account. You can access GrownBy from a web browser at grownby.com or in the GrownBy mobile app, available in the Apple or Android app stores. Bookmark it! That's where you can:

• check your order details and pickup schedule

• pay outstanding invoices and see your payment history

• schedule a vacation week for your share (see instructions below)

• update your contact info and notification preferences

  • TIP: download the mobile app for push notifications that remind you when your pickup starts!

If you have forgotten your password, you can request it automatically; if you are still having trouble please get in touch with us at csa@heartyroots.com. ​

When you arrive at Rutgers Church, check in with the site volunteer. You are welcome to send a friend to pick up for you, they can give your name at pick-up, no need to notify us in advance.

At the Upper West Side/Rutgers CSA, shares will be pre-packaged into reusable tote bags, ready for members to take home. Eggs and fruit will be set out separately, they will not be in the pre-packaged tote bags. Please return your empty tote bag at the following week’s pickup so we can clean and re-use them for your next share!

The CSA distribution takes place on Wednesday afternoons/evenings, from 3:30pm–8:30pm, in the lobby of Rutgers Church (236 West 73rd Street, between Broadway and West End).

When you signed up for your share, you chose either a Full Season (June 4th–November 19th), Summer Season (June 4th–August 27th), or Autumn Season (September 3rd–November 19th) share. There is one holiday week this season when no shares will be delivered, on the week of the July 4th holiday.

The 2025 Upper West Side/Rutgers CSA pick-up dates are as follows:

• Full Season Share (24 pickups) — The Full Season runs from June 4th through November 19th. No pickup on July 2nd.

• Summer Season Share (12 pick-ups) — The Summer Season runs from June 4th through August 27th. No pickup on July 2nd.

• Autumn Season Share (12 pickups) — The Autumn Season runs from September 3rd through November 19th.

You have the option to schedule up to two "vacation weeks" during each season (Summer and Autumn, for a total of 4 optional vacation weeks for Full Season members). When you claim a vacation week, your pickup for that week will be cancelled and you will receive a credit in your GrownBy account for the value of your skipped share (veggies, eggs, and/or fruit), which will be automatically applied to your next CSA installment payment or CSA purchase.

You must process your vacation week claim at least 3 days before your scheduled pickup so that we can adjust the week's harvest plan (i.e. by Sunday night). Summer Season members and Autumn Season members have the option to claim up to 2 vacation weeks over the course of the season; Full Season members have the option to claim up to 4 vacation weeks.

To claim a vacation week, sign into your GrownBy member account and go to the Orders section at https://grownby.app/orders. You will see a list of all of your upcoming pickup dates. Scroll to the date you would like to put on hold and click on the "Claim Vacation Week" button. If you have an egg and/or fruit share in addition to your vegetable share, you will need to check the boxes next to each item. Click "Confirm Vacation" and your share will be put on hold for that date, and a credit for the value of your share(s) will be added to your account.

(You can also see a how-to video with step-by-step instructions here.)

There are no late pickup options at the Rutgers Church CSA, and we do not provide refunds or replacement shares for missed pickups. Please arrive on time to make sure you get your share, or send a friend to pick up for you if you're running late. If you miss your pickup, don't worry, the food won't go to waste! If you miss a pickup or choose to skip a week without notice, the share will be donated through Rutgers Church.

Yes, no problem! Either one of you can pick your share on any given week. Just give the name of the primary account holder (usually the person who initially signed up for the share) when you check in.

If you both want to receive our email newsletters (which tell you what will be in your share each week, plus news from the farm, recipe ideas, etc.), you can add a secondary email address to your GrownBy account. Log into the GrownBy account used to purchase your share, go to https://grownby.app/profile, and go to "Personal Information." Add your friend's email address to the "Email 2" field. Both email accounts will be added to our email list.

Our vegetables are very fresh when you receive them, but it definitely takes some care on your end to keep them that way once they make it to your kitchen. Taking a few moments to put away vegetables properly can be the difference between a limp head of lettuce and one that is still fresh and crisp a week after pickup.

Leafy greens should be stored in a way that keeps them from wilting, such as in a plastic produce bag, Tupperware container, or the high-humidity produce drawer in the fridge. They should go into the fridge promptly.

Root crops such as beets, carrots, turnips and radishes also need high humidity and cold temperatures to stay crunchy and crisp. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are more forgiving and can be stored in a cool, dark place, not necessarily in the fridge.

Winter squash actually store better at room temperature than anywhere else.

For more information about specific vegetables, these Veggie Info Sheets are an excellent resource. And we will send you more tips and recipe ideas in your weekly share list emails!

If you paid in full, you can cancel your share at any time with a week's notice. You can choose to have a credit issued for a future CSA or Farm Market purchase; or receive a refund for the value of the shares remaining in the season less processing fees.

If you pay with installments, you can cancel your payment plan at any time. The installment payments already made are non-refundable, and your cancellation will take effect at the beginning of the next month.

To cancel your share, or if you have any questions about this cancellation policy, please email us at csa@heartyroots.com.

Take a look at the Rutgers Church CSA page on our website to see if the information you need is there: https://www.heartyroots.com/rutgerscsa.

If not, email us! Reach out to Varick, our CSA membership manager, at csa@heartyroots.com.